Philadelphia 76ers: 5 standouts from Orlando scrimmages

1. Ben Simmons

The scrimmages ended with more of a whimper than an exclamation point for Simmons, but it’s impossible to fault him. He built up plenty of goodwill with the fanbase in the first two games. In fact, against Memphis and OKC, Simmons was unequivocally the best player on the floor.

Brett Brown’s decision to move Simmons from point guard to power forward made waves in the news cycle before the scrimmages began. Evidently, the hype was well-earned, as Simmons thrived in his new role from the very get.

At 6-foot-10, Simmons has the speed and athleticism to make due anywhere on the court. By offloading initiation duties to Shake Milton, Simmons was able to receive the ball in new spots –from the elbow, in the post, or even in the corner. The result was a couple brilliant (and well-rounded) performances out of the 24-year-old.

Simmons posted near triple-doubles in the Sixers’ first two scrimmages, and it’s clear the move to power forward will diversify his playmaking opportunities, not limit them. Simmons was still able to get out in transition, and when stationed in the halfcourt, he was thoroughly productive. He has nice chemistry with Milton in the pick-and-roll, and his willingness to space to the corner should open up Philadelphia’s offense a great deal.

His only 3-point attempts came in the first game, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Simmons continues to gravitate to the corners and spot up. With Embiid back in the post and commanding doubles, expect more Simmons 3-point attempts once the regular season restarts.

On both offense and defense, Simmons appears to be operating in top form. He looks healthy and he looks determined. Like someone who has bought into his new role, and someone who can help lead the Sixers to new heights when the games matter.